Emails show U of M President Mark Schlissel no fan of Trump

University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel found it "ironic" that students who voted for President Donald Trump felt shunned on campus after the 2016 election. Schlissel also wrote last year that he was "torn" about recommending appointees for the new administration.

He said, "I can't imagine lending one's name to a Trump administration."

The remarks were in emails released Wednesday by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. The Midland-based group had sued the university, accusing it of failing to timely turn over certain emails written by Schlissel that mentioned Trump. The lawsuit is settled. The university denies wrongdoing but says it will be adding staff for public record requests and making other changes.

The Mackinac Center sought Schlissel's emails after he made comments after the election that offended pro-Trump students.

Related Content

A third Democrat is entering the race for an open, Republican-leaning congressional seat in the Detroit suburbs. Dan Haberman of Troy is a lawyer who runs a business that provides private office space and virtual office services. He's announcing his candidacy Thursday for the 11th Congressional District, joining Haley Stevens and Fayrouz Saad in the Democratic field.

Grand Rapids native and former U.S. Attorney Patrick Miles Jr. stood outside his former high school Ottawa Hills and officially announced his candidacy for Michigan Attorney General on Thursday. Appointed by President Barack Obama, a personal friend and fellow Harvard Law School graduate, Miles served five years as a United States attorney in the Western District of Michigan.

Michigan State Representative Winnie Brinks is looking to extend her career in politics, officially announcing her run for the State Senate in the 29th district Thursday afternoon in East Grand Rapids. Rep. Brinks, a Democrat, is running for the seat currently occupied by Republican State Senator David Hildenbrand.

“I’m just really gratified by all of the support that I have gotten," Rep. Brinks said. There are a lot of great folks here today, and feel like we have got a great chance with these folks behind me.”

Political candidates could solicit unlimited contributions for independent committees supporting them under Republican-sponsored bills advancing in Michigan's Legislature. Supporters of the legislation approved 23-12 Thursday by a divided Senate say it would codify into Michigan law unfettered political spending by independent committees that's legal under the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United decision and other rulings.

Michigan won’t limit how much money corporations and unions can spend to influence elections in the state – under legislation that’s cleared the state senate.

In 2010 the US Supreme Court said corporations and unions could spend as much money as they wanted on political campaigns. Seven years later, Michigan lawmakers are putting that standard into state law.

Arlan Meekhof is the Senate Majority Leader. He voted in favor of the bills, “Because everybody should have free speech and the Supreme Court has said that free speech equals money in what you give.”